A memory can be triggered by here and now. Last weekend I visited Den Haag physically for the first time after the lock down started in March. It was exciting and at the same time sad to see the city and the familiar landmarks. ‘Normally’ at this time of year, the center is crowded with people doing Christmas shopping, but now it is (depending on the hour of the day) more or less quiet. At times it is however too busy. The apparent human need to cluster closely together (in shops, or at home) is probably a reason why we see a rise in cases again. Tonight a more strict lock down will be announced. To curb the second wave. Department stores like the 150 year old Bijenkorf and other ‘unnecessary’ shops will close again. That hurts them enormously. But luckily there is light at the end of this tunnel. I hope the light of Christmas will soon turn into a bright sun that opens up our now small worlds and gives us the space and opportunities to be more human again. Till then: courage.
We are getting close to Christmas. A feast of hope and light. In times like we live in now it is even more important to celebrate the unbearable lightness of being.
The B4 retouch series I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. All of them are not completely retouched yet. Scratches, dust and stains are not removed.
The picture was scanned from negative and tweaked using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version
The B4 retouch series I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. All of them are not completely retouched yet. Scratches, dust and stains are not removed.
The picture was scanned from negative and tweaked using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.
In this cycle money goes from hand to hand. The fountain was created in 1976 by Karl-Henning Seemann. The people shown symbolise avarice, greed, patronage and begging. Just like money, the water in the fountain flows all year round, since it is fed by the thermal springs. In the summer in particular, the fountain is a popular meeting point for Aacheners and visitors to the city, and for young and old looking to cool down in the flowing water. (source: Aachen Tourist service)
The B4 retouch series I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. All of them are not completely retouched yet. Scratches, dust and stains are not removed.
The picture was scanned from negative and tweaked using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.
A long time ago, somewhere in the Ardennes on a cold April day. Going round in circles. Learning how to use black and white and shoot a decent photo.
The B4 retouch series I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. All of them are not completely retouched yet. Scratches, dust and stains are not removed.
The picture was scanned from negative and tweaked using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.
The B4 retouch series I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. All of them are not completely retouched yet. Scratches, dust and stains are not removed.
The picture was originally shot with Pentax K1000 on Kodak Plusx, scanned from negative and tweaked using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.
Paris in December 1981. A view from the hill of Sacré Coeur into the city at the end of the Winter afternoon just before sunset. A shot on Kodak Color II brought back to monochrome. Camera unknown.
About the B4 retouch series: I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. Some of them are partly retouched but most do have scratches, dust and stains.
Originally shot on Kodak color II, scanned from negative and tweaked using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.
In times of covid things change, some in small ways, some in quite ‘big’ ways. The world is not getting smaller but seems smaller. Going away for a long weekend is more like a logistical planned event than a spontaneous ‘let’s get away’. And even the way I take photo’s is changed. I see less that catches my eye, all is so familiar close by. So I went way back till way then, October 1990, a long weekend with old school mates. The mates are still there, on Whatsapp. But the feeling of this image is different. A swarm of birds against a sunset. Being free, to wander, to roam. Patience my dear heart.
About the B4 retouch series: I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. Some of them are partly retouched but most do have scratches, dust and stains.
Originally shot with Nikon F301 on Kodak TriX, scanned from negative and tweaked using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.
Coming back to an area I visited a long time ago in my youth, brings back memories about the past. The beauty of nature is sometimes overwhelming, even when it rains.
I love to take photos from a car (rest assured, I am not doing the driving at those moments). And the result can be quite surprising at times. This one gives me the feeling of a small village, hidden in the landscape.
Coming back to an area I visited a long time ago in my youth, brings back memories about the past. The beauty of nature is sometimes overwhelming, even when it rains.
Autumn has come, Summer is over. The garden is no longer the place to enjoy being outside during the pandemic, looking at plants and flowers. Seasons come and go, the natural cycle continues, and Summer is waiting to come back next year, hopefully in a different setting without restrictions.
Architecture can be used to communicate wealth or power. An example in the history of The Netherlands are the canal houses in Amsterdam. A more modern ‘show off’ of wealth is the ING House on the A10 in Amsterdam. A rather small Head Office on a very expensive piece of land. And building high risings is another example where (not only) Dutch cities build literally their image and show off economic power. This is Delftse Poort, til 2009 the highest building in The Netherlands. The five highest buildings in The Netherlands are all in Rotterdam (this is the ranking).